Lake that once hosted migratory birds dries up

BURDUR

Lake Karataş, one of the most important wetlands in Turkey’s southwest, has dried up due to global warming and the misusage of its water for agricultural purposes.

Lack of rainfall and irresponsible agricultural irrigation has turned the freshwater lake of 1,190 hectares in the southwestern province of Burdur’s Karamanlı into a desert.

Replenishing precipitation seems it will no longer bring back the water level as it used to be.

“Unfortunately, Burdur, which is called the region of lakes, will be referred to as the region of deserts at this rate,” said Karamanlı Mayor Fatih Selimoğlu.

The drought stemming from climate change has also led to a recession of the lake’s waters, making finding food a challenge for migratory birds.

“It was a paradise for birds. But now the situation is clear, the lake has dried up,” said Enver Yüksel, a local who has been fishing in the lake for 30 years.

The lake, which is on the international list of wetlands, was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1985.

More than 35 lakes across Turkey have dried up and disappeared in the last 50 years, according to environmental platforms.